Today's communication systems are operated at a high level of reliability. One way such reliability is achieved is by operating equipment at a communication installation using a one-to-one redundancy arrangement by which a hot standby equipment unit-mate is kept ready to assume the role of a primary equipment unit in the event of failure of the primary equipment unit. Failure of a first hardware locus at which is located a primary equipment unit may therefore be substantially instantaneously remedied by employing the assigned standby equipment unit-mate—preferably located at a different hardware locus than the first hardware locus.
Equipping for such a one-to-one back-up capability requires equipping with redundant hardware. Equipping with redundant hardware can be an expensive endeavor, especially since the processing power of the standby equipment unit-mate can be required to nothing more than data-synchronize with the primary equipment unit, which in many situations assures that the standby equipment unit-mate is under-utilized.
There is a need for a system and method for responding to a failure of a hardware locus at a communication installation that avoids providing redundant hardware for one-to-one equipment redundancy.